The One with the Fruit

July 1, 2013

 

This week has been full of fruit. A lot of fruit. We have these two less actives men in our ward who just really love us a lot and we love them a lot. The first one's name is Pedro. He is the cutest man. He has that perfect Mexican mustache and looks like he should be on the front of every salsa bottle or something. Plus, he rides his little bike around everywhere, ughh, we just love him. We teach him about once a week, but we got a call from him this week to meet him at Fiesta (this awesome Mexican grocery store in our area. I don’t know how to live life after the mission without Fiesta). We get there and he proceeds to take us through the produce section of the store and basically buy us a fruit stand worth of fruit. Remember that there are only two of us . . . he bought us: 1 watermelon, 1 cantaloupe, 2 grapefruits, 4 navel oranges, 6 apples, 6 mangoes, 9 kiwis, grapes, strawberries and to top it off a pineapple. WOAH -- that is a lot of fruit. We were both so touched by this kind gesture neither of us really knew what to do or say. He was so willing and asked us if we needed milk or bread or anything. Mind you, he lives in a little run down apt and does NOT have the funds to be doing such things. But, he will be blessed for his service to us, of that I am sure.

OH, the fruit didn’t stop there. Then we went to dinner with F and M (and no one cried!). It was the cutest (AND HEALTHIEST, YESSS) dinner of my life. We had fish that was stuffed with this salsa stuff and wrapped in spinachy stuff with white rice and salad – mmmm—with watermelon for dessert. F cooked the whole thing and he cleaned up!  And they ate with us! Let me just tell you, I don’t think I’ve told you that in this culture families don’t eat with the missionaries. Different, right? They give you your food and then leave you alone to eat it. So having someone eat with us was awesome! Also, in this culture men DEFINITELY do not cook or do dishes. F did BOTH <3.  Why are they the cutest people in the world!? Goodness. But anyway, we left their house with more oranges and fruit.

Did you think I was done? Nope. Then we went out to dinner with F, the other menos activo we work a lot with. He is the best. He studied medicine for 7 years in El Salvador . . . and played professional basketball.  Just saying.  He has blue eyes. (Have ya’ll seen an El Salvadorian with blue eyes? It is one of the most beautiful things in the world.)   I think I have talked about F before.  He is just great; we love that man. But, we left dinner with him with 25 mangoes. Yes, you did read that right—25 mangoes.

So, this week has been the one with the fruit because, well, we got a LOT of fruit.

Other than that. ANGIE GOT BAPTIZED THIS WEEK! Ahhh. It was such a happy day. We have this one CD and one of the songs has a line that says "The greatest sound I’ve ever loved to hear is the sound of water running in the Church."  Man, how true that is! She was so happy. SO MANY PEOPLE came to the baptism – maybe because Hna Parry and I spoke in church that day and told the ward to step it up.  They did!   (Yeah, I gave a talk in Spanish. YEAH – it was the most terrifying moment of my life.)  So many people were there; it was awesome! I am sending pictures :)

I love you all!

 Alma 37: 46 – “ ...do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way…"

 P.S. – I wish I could adequately articulate my love for the scriptures over an email. But hey, this week I told a guy I would die for the Book of Mormon, so I think that got the point across! And scared him. Ehh, whatever. The Church is true.

P.P.S. – Remember how I did "Things You Only Hear in the MTC"?  Well, let me create a "Things You Only Hear in Gulfbank" – “Ewww, that is someone's weave!!"